Automatic flusher for sewers or drains.



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Patented Aug. 20, mm.

I P. J. HEALEY. AUTGMATIG FLUSHEB FUR SEWERS UR DRMWS.

(Apphcutzon filed Jun so, 1900 mJfiamm.

(No Model) WITNESSES e YATES ,w'ltovu rT/z 712/11 1] concern:

hat I, PATRICK J. IIEALEY, a z iited States, residingat Hydeparlginithe mty of Norfolk and State of Massachusett "tVGlIlVGIltGCl certain new and sefulImprovements in Automatic Flushers for Sew ers or Drains, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein 1 to the iaccoinpanying drawings. I

o 1 lily invention relates to improvements in utomatic ilushers for flushing out sewers or lrai pipes in which a bulkhead surrounded witha device t'orholdingthe bulkhead in position whenbeing used; and the object of'm y -iihv oution the removal of sand, dirt, and othcrobstaclos in sowe rs or chains by flushing. 1 "ilhe following is a clear description of the mac ine, reference being made to the accompa rying drawings, in which 'gure 1 is a view in perspective of the mas used in a manhole of a sewer. I ig'. front end View. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine on the line 3 5111 Fig. at. Fig. 4 isa plan View ofmy parts through out the several views.

(The machine is composed of two parts-a lllll'lilleitClA and a handle or holding device 15. 3 The bulkhead A comprises a core made of a circular piece of wood or plan]; u, having a groove a, semicircular in section, on its ircumference, into which sets or fits a large circular hollow 1i1l)b0liIt1llB(t This tube a is so adjusted as to be aintight and may be inflated by pumping air into it through a valve a. An y ordinary form of valve may be used The handle or holding device consists of a,long,'l-shaped metal bar b, with two crossbars b and U which can he moved back and forth on the long arm of the bar I). The bar h is connectedto the bulkhead A by the short armsbeing loosely inserted through eyelets 'which arefastened to a in the bulkhead. This modeof attaching A and B ali lows 13 to move up and down freely around (do? as centers whenA is stationary. In order to prevent b slipping out of the eyelets a? a the ends of the short arms'of Z) are coved by caps b Z2 The end of the long arm "by'an air-tight tube operates in conjunction Parent r errestarrnioic J. Heater, or HYDEPARK, MAssAcnusnT rs.

AUTOMATIC Freshen ton sswnne on canine.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,974, dated August 20, 1901. I i Application filed January 30,1900. Serial No. 3,307. (lie model-l of B is perforated by small circular holes b if, into which may be inserted a metal pin I).

The object of this pin Z) is to prevent the cross-piece Z1 from sliding whrn the machine is being used.

It will be noticed that 13 is attached to A in a horizontal line which is just above the center of A -that is, if a straight line is drawn through theleyelets a a it will be horizontal (when the machine is being used) and will be a short distance above the center of A. The effect of this construction is that when the machine is lifted from the ground with I) held horizontal the bulkhead A will hang with the lower part inclined slightly upward toward the handle B. When the machine is in use with 13 fixed and A left free to swing, an equal pressure on the surface of A opposite B will cause A to move in suclr a way that the lower handle ii. In order to keep A, in a fixed vertical position when the machine is being used, I provide a rod b fastened to Z) by means of an eyelet Z). The free end of the rod b is turned to forma hook, which can be engaged with an eyelet a, set in a vertically above the center. When the rod U is hooked into (L5, the bulkhead A will be fixed perpendicularly to the handle 13. i i

The primary object of my machine is to clean out pipe'sewers or drains by flushing 5. but it will also be found particularly effective and useful in stopping the flow of water in one section of a sewer or drain, sothat the next section will dry out and may be examined to discover leaks and defects in the bottom of the pipe which the running water would otherwise conceal.

The general method of cleaning sewers by flushing is to direct a stream of water from a hose into the sewer-pipe and wash the dirt, sand, and other accumulations in the bottom of the pipe toward the next manhole, where they can be taken out. This method is very unsatisfactory, because, as a general rule, the stream from the hose moves the accumulations but a short distance down the pipe, and it is almost impossible to clean out a sewer where the manholes are three hundred feet or more apart, as is generally the case. Another way to cleansewers by flushing'is that of building special manholes provided part will swing upaoward the tance between the flushgates it is impossible to accomplish very much, and this method is open to the two objections of great cost and ineffectiveness.

l-.Iy machine can be built at a small cost, is easily handled, andcan be used in one manhole afteranother. In order to use my automatic flusher, I place it in a manhole as shown in Fig. 1. Manholes are generally built four by sixfeet, andthe sewer runs through them in a semicircular depression in the bottom.

The level spaces in the bottom of the manhole (shown in Fig. 1 as C C) are known as the Water-tables. I place the bulkhead A of my machine just inside the mouth of the sewer-pipein the section to be flushed out, with axis or diameter perpendicular to tlie sidrsof the pipe. The long handle I) is laid parallel to the course of the sewer, and the cross-bars are adjusted so that one is a short distance from the bulkhead and the other is placed against the opposite wall of the manhole, and the pin is inserted in the hole nearest the bar, so as to prevent it sliding toward the bulkhead. The two cross-bars are long enough so that their ends will rest upon thewater-tables and keep the handle in n u-izontal position. lhen theiron rod 11 is hooked into the bulkhead to keep it perpendicular. Having thus adjusted the machine, I next proceed to inflate the rubber tube by pumping air into it. Inilating the tube of the bulkhead causes it to swell and-to press tightly against the sides of the sewer-pipe. This closes the pipe up etfeetually, and it is impossible for any water to pass the bulkhead. 'lhe sewer-pipe in consequence, fills up with water, which presses against the bulkhead; but the cross-bar at the other side of the manhole, aided by the pin, prevents the bulkhead being forced out of the pipe by the waterpressure. When the section of the sewer becomes filled with water, which will be shown by the amount of water in the manhole next above, I -unhook the bar 1/ and open the airvalve in the tube. The water-pressure will cause the bottom of the bulkhead to swing out and up, and the water, rushing out with great rapidity, will carry with it the dirt, sand, and other obstructions present in that section of the sewer.

What I claim is- 1. In a machine for flushing sewers and drains, the combination of a bulkhead, consisting of a solid core having on its outer periphery an airtight hollow tube provided with a valve for the purpose of inflating the tube with air and a holding device comprisinga T shaped bar with one or more cross-barsysaid bar being attached to the core of the bulkhead at a point above the center of the core in such a manner as to allow the bulkhead to swing in one direction and having ahook which engages with an eyelet in the core and which when engaged holds the bulkhead stationary in a position perpendicular to the said bar, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for flushing sewers and drains, the combination of a bulkhead, A, consisting of a solid core, (L, surrounded by a hollow tube, (6 with a valve (1."; and a holdingce" :e con'iprisingaT-shaped bar, l3, with sliding cross-bars, b and If, said bar, B, being attached to the core, a, by eyelets a" o which are placed in a horizontal line above the center of a, and having a hook, 7;, adapted to engage with the eyelet If and hold the bulkhead in a fixed position perpendicular to the bar 15, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PATRICK J. IIICA'LEY.

Witnesses:

lCs'rnLLE (J. llu'rcumus, An'rnUR J. Snnuntnruc. 

